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Capitol Storm: Democrats want to prosecute Donald Trump's confidants

2021-10-11T03:12:48.975Z


Four former advisors to Donald Trump are to testify before a panel on the January 6 escalation - but they ignored the summons at the behest of the ex-president. Now they face legal trouble.


Enlarge image

Donald Trump (r.) And Mark Meadows (then Chief of Staff in the White House / in October 2020)

Photo: ALEXANDER DRAGO / REUTERS

What role did Donald Trump play in the storming of hundreds of his supporters on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th?

That is one of the questions a Congressional committee of inquiry is supposed to clarify.

The panel had summoned Mark Meadows, Kash Patel, Dan Scavino and Steve Bannon.

All of them had advised Trump once - all of them failed to comply with the summons after his lawyers intervened.

Now top Democrat Adam Schiff, who sits on the committee himself, has found clear words.

He told the US broadcaster CBS that the committee wanted “these witnesses to testify.

We are ready to call in the Justice Department and prosecute anyone who does not comply with their legal obligations. "

In plain language: If the four ex-advisors refuse to continue, they face criminal proceedings.

Liz Cheney, one of only two Republican committee members, also spoke out in favor of urging the subpoena.

Lawyers disagree over executive privileges

The former US president's attorneys reportedly argued in a letter to the four former advisers that Trump's communications with them and the documents in question were protected by executive privileges and the protection of attorney-client relationships and should therefore not be made public.

Whether Trump can use executive privileges for his final weeks in office to prevent his ex-advisors from making a statement is legally controversial.

Litigation about this could delay Congress investigations into the Capitol Assault.

Acting President Joe Biden announced at the weekend that the White House would cooperate with the committee and issue documents.

The Trump camp had also wanted to prevent this at all costs.

Five people died in the January attack

Trump still does not recognize his election defeat last November.

He repeated his completely unsubstantiated accusation of alleged electoral fraud in front of supporters in Washington on January 6, when Congress wanted to certify Biden's election victory.

Trump called on his audience to march to the Capitol and "fight the hell out of it."

Hundreds of radical supporters stormed the parliament building as a result.

Five people were killed in the course of the violence, including a police officer and a Trump supporter who were shot by police.

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Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2021-10-11

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